The ability to construct a mineralized skeleton was a major innovation for the Metazoa
during their evolution in the late Precambrian/early Cambrian. Porifera (sponges) hold an …

Waste seashells from aquaculture are a massive source of biogenic calcium carbonate
(bCC) that can be a potential substitute for ground calcium carbonate and precipitated …

Corals are the ecosystem engineers of coral reefs, one of the most biodiverse marine
ecosystems. The ability of corals to form reefs depends on the precipitation of calcium …

The formation of calcite prism architecture in the prismatic layer of the mollusk shell involves
the participation of a number of different proteins. One protein family, Asprich, has been …

Functional peptides play an important role in the formation of biominerals. Here we focus on
peptides involved in mineralization of the exoskeleton of a crayfish. New recombinant …

We have identified a novel shell protein, accripin11, as a major soluble component of the
calcitic prisms of the fan mussel Pinna nobilis. Initially retrieved from a cDNA library, its full …

Tooth enamel develops within a pH sensitive amelogenin-rich protein matrix. The purpose of
the present study is to shed light on the intimate relationship between enamel matrix pH …

In molluscs, the shell secretion process is controlled by a set of extracellular
macromolecules collectively called the shell matrix. The shell matrix, which is produced by …

Fish otoliths composed of calcium carbonate and an organic matrix play a primary role in
gravity sensing and the perception of sound. Starmaker (Stm) was the first protein found to …

Biominerals are typically indispensable structures for their host organism in which they serve
varying functions, such as mechanical support and protection, mineral storage, detoxification …